This invention relates to a flexible stretcher device that is usable in emergency medical situations to pick up and transfer injured people. Particularly, the stretcher device is a compact, portable, collapsible and flexible device that is usable in a wide range of emergency situations including air lift operations, automobile, skiing, and for industrial accidents, etc.
The flexible stretcher device according to the invention is useful for safely and securely transporting an injured person. The stretcher device permits the quick and easy placement of the injured body onto the flexible stretcher, and it is easily maneuverable thereafter. The flexible body of the device is easily stored and conforms to the body of the patient when in use, and it is adaptable for either horizontal or vertical lifting of bodies. The conforming design of the flexible stretcher device holds a person rigidly, making the stretcher act as a partial body splint.
The flexible stretcher device of this invention also provides a device that can be left under a patient at a hospital or similar facility for subsequent internal transportation use to decrease the risk of further injury to the patient.
In the past, several types of stretcher or litter devices for transporting injured persons have been proposed or developed. However, these devices have generally been limited in function, have been rigid in construction, or have been designed for readily accessible accident scenes. Still others, while exhibiting some degree of flexibility, are complex in construction, difficult to manufacture and generally unsuitable for typical emergency situations.
The flexible stretcher device of this invention overcomes the limitations and shortcomings of those prior art devices. Particularly, the body conforming design of the stretcher device of this invention provides a simple, easy to manufacture, inexpensive, effective and functional device that permits a wide range of users to transport injured persons in a quickly assembled, flexible and secured manner. For example, the stretcher device permits the carrying of injured persons in horizontal as well as in vertical positions and it is designed for air lift purposes. And, despite the long standing need for such a device, none in so far as is known, has been developed.